Press



1934 .J. R. BRADLEY ET AL 1,9752% PRESS Filed Nov. 20, 1930 5Sheet-$heet 1 Oct. 2, 1934. J. R. BRADLEY ET AL 1,975,249

PRESS Filed Nov.

5 Sheets-Sheet 2 4 4 M M M 7 N 4 a llllll IJIIIIITII L mmmmm m mwl lim wwu m J. R BRADLEY ET AL PRESS Filed NOVa 20, 1930 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORE Oct. 2, 1934. J. R. BRADLEY ET AL 7 1,975,249

' PRESS v I Filed Nov. 20, 1930 SShets-Sheet 4 etc 2,1934 J. R. BRADLEY,ET AL.

PRESS Filed NOV. 20, 1930 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Oct. 2, 1934 uurrsoSTATES PATENT reigns 5 Claims, (01. 153 21) The present inventionrelates broadly to the art of metal working, and more particularly to apress adapted for the punching, bending, shaping or the like of piecesof metal. Although the utility of the invention is not limited to theparticular function which it performs, it will, for purposes of aclearer understanding, be hereinafter illus' trated and referred to as abending press.

As the size of presses has gradually increased, the weight has beencorrespondingly increased, until large presses have reached suchtremendous sizes and weights as to be extremely expensive, cumbersomeand difficult of installation. One of the principal factors contributingto the increased weight has been the fact that it has heretofore beenconsidered essential to construct the press housing of castings, and asthe loads to which the castings have been subjected have increased, thearea and general mass of the castings has been likewise increased.

It is one of the objects of the present invention to provide a pressconstructed almost entirely of structural shapes and members asdistinguished from castings, whereby the weight and cost of the press aswell as its size are all appreciably decreased. The installation andoperation of the press is thus facilitated and the room required for apress of given capacity materially reduced. Not only is such reductionin size desirable from the standpoint of the mill in which the press islocated, but it is desirable from the standpoint of press capacityitself. This is true for the reason that with structural shapes thedifferent frame parts of the press are more compact, therei byfacilitating access to the press not only for repair purposes but forthe operation thereof.

With castings as heretofore utilized; there has also been existent theproblem of proper mounting of the cylinders utilized for operating thepress, the cylinders usually of necessity being supported or carriedoutside of the main body of the casting. In accordance with the presentinvention this difficulty is obviated for the reason that it is possibleto so assemble the structural members as to provide room for certain ofthe cylinders within the bodily limits of the housing or frame itself.This constitutes a distinct advantage, as will be readily apparent, notonly from the standpoint of compactness, but from the standpoint ofprotection afforded to the working parts of the mechanism.

It not infrequently happens that it is desired to operate upon material,such as sheets, plates, strips or the like having dimensions such thatthe ordinary press cannot perform the operations required due to thefact that the material cannot be bodily positioned within the'pressitself. The size of the cast housings heretofore utilized has precludedthe provision of end windows or openings of sufficient sizes to permitthe passage therethrough of work. In accordance'with the presentinvention the end frames, being constructedof structural members, may bereadily disposed so as to provide windows or openings therethroughthrough which work may be inserted or removed at the pleasure of theoperator, thereby making it possible by an endwise movement of the workto utilize the press for performing bending, shaping or other operationson metal bodies of materially greater dimensions in one direction thanthe maximum distance between theend frames of the press.

Another object of the invention is to provide a press having improvedoperating connections not only possessing desirable features from thestandpoint of press operation, but also from the standpoint of controland adjustment of the press.

It has also been found that presses as ordinarily constructed are opento the objection that a press of given capacity cannot be economicallyutilized for the performance of relatively minoroperations inasmuch asthe mass to be moved and consequently the power expenditure is out ofproportion to the results accomplished. The present invention provides aconstruction possessing desirable attributes in' this respect, since thenumber of operating means utilized, and consequently the powerdeveloped, may be varied at the pleasure of the operator in accordancewith the work being performed. In this manner there is provided what maybe termed a more or less universal press, the characteristic operationof which may always be kept more or less in step with the operationsbeingperformed.

In the accompanying drawings we have shown for purposes of illustrationonly, a preferred embodiment of the present invention. In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevational View partly broken away, of a pressconstructed in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is an end elevational view, partly broken away and on anenlarged scale, of the press illustrated in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the press of Figures land 2; V

Figure 4 is a detail sectional View, on an enlarged scale and partlybroken away, along the line IV-IV of Figure 1, the operating cylindersbeing removed;

Figure 5 is a detail sectional view, similar to Figure 4, along the lineV-V of Figure 1;

Figure 6 is a detail sectional View on the line VIVI of Figure 2;

Figure '7 is a vertical sectional view, partly broken away and partly inelevation, along the line VII--VII of Figure l;

Figure 8 is a detail sectional view, partly broken away and partly inelevation, along the line VIII--VIII of Figure 2, looking in thedirection of the arrows.

Figure 9 is a view similar to Figure 2, but partly broken away andillustrating diagrammatically the operating characteristics for thepress; and

Figure 10 is a partial side elevational view of the structureillustrated in Figure 9. 1

Referring more particularly to the drawings,

ends of the bottom girder 4 are secured in any desired manner.

Similarly, each pair of posts at their upper portion is connected by atransversely extending plate or cross-beam 7 in substantially the samehorizontal plane as the top girder 3 to which the ends of the uppergirder 3 are connected. Said top and bottom girders together with theircrossbeams at the ends, each form supporting element of substantially Hshape in which the girders are arranged to support the upper and lowerdies and the actuating mechanism for one of the dies. The upper girder3, illustrated in detail in Figures 4 and 5 comprises spaced plates 8and 9 built up to form a girder of box section. These plates are securedto the transverse plate '7 by means of corner angles 10 effective notonly for tying the parts together, but for stiffening the same.Overlying the plates 8 and 9 and further assisting in completing andstrengthening the top girder, are plates 11 of different lengths andserving to form a truss as will be more apparent from Figures 1 and 3 ofthe drawings. The top plates 11 are tied to the box girder plates byflange angles 12. These plates are provided with registering openings 14at predetermined spaced intervals facilitating access to pull backcylinders, as here inafter more fully described.

Carried by the bottoms of the box girder plates 8 and 9 are bottomplates 15 similarly secured to the box girder plates by flange angles16. Extending vertically of the box girder plates and serving to stiffenthe same are web angles 17 of such length as to have a driving fitbetween the flange angles 12 and 16.

Secured to the plates 15 and directly underlying the upper box girder 3and overlying the bottom girder 4, are hydraulic cylinders 18, eachcylinder being located substantially below an opening 19 in the bottomplates and in turn registering with the openings 14 before referred to.Positioned within each of the cylinders is a piston 20 operativelysecured in any desired manner to the upper flange of an H beam 21,whereby movement of the pistons in one direction will be effective forlowering the H beam, and movement in the opposite direction effectivefor raising such H beam.

Secured to the under side of the H beam is a male die 22 of a shapedepending upon the work which the press is to do, the die herein shownas having a relatively sharp bending edge 23. With the H beam in lowerposition, the bending die 22, indicated in dotted lines in Figure '7 iseffective for bending material M supported on a female die 24 carried bythe bottom girder 4.

" The female die is herein illustrated as'comprising a pair of standardrails mounted in normal position and secured in the desired spacedrelationship by tie bolts 25 around which are spacer sleeves 26, therails in turn being bolted in position on the bottom girder by aclamping plate 27 located therebetween and cooperating with the baseflanges of the rails.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that a die constructedof rails as herein described not only provides an extremely inexpensivestructure, but one which may be readily adjusted for causing bending atdifferent angles. Thus by merely removing the bolts 25 and the spacersleeves 26, and substituting new bolts and sleeves, any desiredadjustment of the rails themselves may be obtained.

The pistons 20 before described are effective for accomplishing thedownward movement of the H beam 21 and producing the working stroke ofthe press. For effecting a return movement of the parts, there isprovided the pull back cylinder 28 cooperating with each of thehydraulic cylinders 18 and directly secured thereto in superimposedrelationship. Mounted in each of the pull back cylinders is a piston 29,the upper end of which cooperates with a cross head 30 from which extendtie rods 31. These tie rods are herein illustrated as extending throughthe openings 19, through openings 32 in the base flanges 33 of thehydraulic cylinders and through suitable aligned openings in the pistonheads 34 and the upper flange of the H beam 21, the upper and lower endsof the rods 31 being secured respectively to the yokes 30 and the H beam21. Due to this construction, when fluid is admitted to the lower endsof the pull back cylinders, the pistons therein will be raised to theposition illustrated in Figure 8, and the bending die drawn from itsdotted line position of Figure '7 to its full line position ready for asucceeding bending operation.

It is to be noted that we have herein illustrated the H beam, which maybe considered as constituting the platen or plunger of the press, asadapted to be moved by the combined action of five hydraulic cylinders18 suitably spaced length wise thereof, and as movable to upper positionby an equal number of pull back cylinders. For obvious reasons it isdesirable to synchronize the movement of the hydraulic pistons in thevarious cylinders, and to this end I provide a shaft 35 ex tendinglengthwise of the platen and mounted in suitable bearings 36 carriedthereby. At each end, the shaft 35 is provided with a pinion 3'7 adaptedto mesh with a rack 38 secured to a bracket 39 carried by a suitablebrace 10 extending transversely between the pairs of corner posts 5. Byreason of this construction, the opposite ends of the platen are causedto move substantially equal amounts, any differences being such aspermitted only by torsion in the shaft 35. By making the shaft of properdimensions, however, such torsion may be substantially eliminated.

Cooperating with and opposed to the brackets 39 are similar brackets 41having bearing plates 42 adapted to cooperate with guide plates 43 on1.:

deflection during the operation of the press, they.

are preferably of built up construction. To this end we preferablyprovide laterally extending Wings 44 preferably integral with thetransversely extending plates 6 and '7 before referred to, the

entire plate being punched out to provide the windows or unobstructedspacesbefore described.

For stiffening the end plates, they may have secured thereto taperedplates 45 bolted or riveted in position through the medium of cornerangles 46 on their outer sides, these corner angles extending the fullheight of the end plates, and by inner angles 4'7 adjacent thetransverse plates '7 and similar angles 48 adjacent the transverseplates 6. Disposed 0n the opposite sides of the end plates from thetapered plates 45 are angles 49 similar to the anglesfl6 and extendingthe full height of the end plates. These angles are so mounted thattheir inwardly projecting flanges lie in the plane of the tapered plates45 as will be clearly apparent more particularly from Figure 6 of thedrawings, whereby they define the sides of the end windows. It will thusbe apparent that there are provided corner posts which are braced ineach of four directions, thus providing the necessary strength andstiffness without resort to cumbersome castings as heretofore utilized.The smaller space required for such structural posts makes possible theend Windows through which material may befed to or removed from thepress,

In Figures 9 and 10 of the drawings there are illustrated connections bymeans of which the desired operation of the press may be easilyobtained. In Figure 9 there is indicated a tank 50 constituting asuitable source of fluid supply having a pipe 51 leading to the inlet ofa pump 52. The outlet 53 of the pump is branched, the branch 54 leadingto a release valve 55the outlet of which has a connection 56 to theinlet of the pump and effective when the release valve is open forby-passing the pump and thereby preventing the generation of pumppressure in the system. The other branch 5'7 of theoutlet 53 leads toacheck valve 58 of such construction as to freely permit the passage offiuid therethrough in the direcion indicated by the arrow 59, butpreventing the passage of fluid in the opposite direction.

The outlet 60 of the check valve communicates with a T 61 having aconnection 63 leading to the lower ends of the pull back cylinders 28.The T also has a connection 64 leading to a twoway control valve 65.With the valve in one position it will permit fluid to flow from thepull back cylinders by way of connections 63, T 61 and connection 64 topipes 66 leading to the hydraulic cylinders 18, thus permitting the pullback cylinders to discharge into the hydraulic cylinders,

while with thc'valve in its other position, it will permit fluid to flowfrom the hydraulic cylinders by way of the pipe 66 to a return line 6'7discharging into the tank or reservoir 50.

The release valve 55 is suitably carried by the frame of the press insuch manner that the valve stem 68 thereof may cooperate with a pivotedlever 69 carrying the counterweight '70. Secured to the lever 69 is acable '71 passing upwardly over a pulley 72 and thence downwardly over asecond pulley '73 on the box girder 3 to a weight '74, heavier than thecounterweight '70 and effective for overcomingthe same. As the pressreaches its upper position, the upper surface of the H beam or platen 21will engage. the weight '74 and lift the same, thus releasing tension onthe cable '71 and permitting the counterweight to move downwardly andopen the release valve 55, thus bypassing the pump 52 and releasingpressure from the system. At this time, however, descent of the platenwill-be prevented by the pull back cylinders, the fluid being trapped inthese cylinders through the medium of the check valve 58. This conditionwill continue until such time as it is desired to set thepress intooperation. At such time, the control valve 65 will be operated toconnect the pull back cylinders to the hydraulic cylinders so that thepull back cylinders will discharge into the hydraulic cylinderspermitting the platen to descend by gravity. After this movement hasbeen initiated, the platen 21 will withdraw from supporting relationshipwith the,

weight '74 which will in turn be effective for overcoming thecounterweight) and closing the release valve 55 whereby the pump by-passis closed and the pump pressure directed into the hydraulic cylinders 18for forcing the platen down- Wardly.

t such time as the down stroke has progressed to the desired point, anadjustable stop screw '75 carried by the platen 21 will engage a bellcrank '76 and swing the same about its pivotal mounting '77 to releasethe tail '78 thereof from holding engagement with a lever '79 having apivotal mounting 80. Connected to the lever is a cable 81 to one end ofwhich is secured a weight 82, the opposite end passing upwardly over apulley 83 and around a pulley 84 and then attached to the cable '71.When the tail '78 moves out of engagement with the lever '79, the weight82 is effective for overcoming the weight '74, lifting the same and thusenabling the counterweight '70 to open the release valve 55. In thismanner the down stroke of the platen is automatically stopped at apredetermined time depending upon the adjustment of the stop screw 75.Suitable adjustment of this screw enables the stroke of the press to belengthened or shortened at the will of the operator as will be readilyapparent.

In case of necessity, the operator may check the down stroke at anydesired interval by means of the trip handle 85. Outward movement ofthis handle against the spring 86 will be effective for swinging thebell crank '76 and releasing the lever '79.

When it is desired to lift the male die, the operator bears down on thehandle portion 87 of the lever '79, thereby lifting the weight 82,closing therelease valve 55 and reestablishing fluid pressure in thesystem, the control valve 65 at this time having been turned to suchposition as to permit the hydraulic cylinders to discharge therethro-ughinto the return connection 67, whereby the pressure of the pump will beeffective only in the pull back cylinders." It will be apparent that thedownward movement of the handie portion 8'7 of the lever '79 causes itto move past the bell crank lever which immediately snaps into holdingengagement therewith under the influence of the spring 86.

We have herein illustrated all of the hydraulic cylinders as cooperatingwith a single platen. From Figure 2 of the drawings, however, it will beapparent that the connection 66 from the control valve has anindependent connection 66 to each of the hydraulic cylinders, each ofwhich connections is controlled by an individual valve 88. Thus ifdesired, any number of the hydraulic cylinders may be quickly out out ofoperation to effects. corresponding change in the capacity of the press.The invention also lends itself to a division of the platen 21 into aplurality of parts each under the control of an individual hydrauliccylinder or under the control of any number of hydraulic cylinders, thusgiving a number of individual presses each of the desiredcapacity forthe performance of a particular operation. In such case a suitablechange in the number of control valves may be made so as to provide forthe desired automatic control of any. cylinder or group of cylinders.

Advantages of the invention arise from the provision of a structuralframe and particularly from the provision of such a frame having endWindows and from the provision of a box girder within which the pullback cylinders may be positioned.

Further advantages arise from the provision of a press including aplurality of hydraulic cylinders or other operating means of suchconstruction and so mounted that any number may be utilized at willindependently of the others, or simultaneously therewith for theoperation either I, I of a single platen or a plurality of differentplatens.

Still other advantages obtainable from a female die of the constructionreferred to, and from the automatic control features whereby automaticshut-01f on the down stroke of the press is obout departing either fromthe spirit of the invention or the scope of our broader claims.

We claim:

1. A bending press having a frame comprising upper and lower supportingelements of substan tially H shape built up of structural shapes,

formed of two cross-beams and a girder connected to the intermediateportions of the crossbeams, posts built up of structural shapesconnected to the ends of cross-beams of the supporting elements, a diemember supported on the girder of each element, and means on one of theelements for actuating the die member associated therewith.

2. A bending press having four spaced apart I posts built up ofstructural shapes, a lower supporting element of substantially H shapebuilt up of structural shapes, formed of two crossbeams and a girderconnected to the intermediate portions of the cross-beams, each end ofeach cross-beam being connected to one of the posts, an upper supportingelement of substantially H shape built up of structural shapes, formedof two cross-beams and a box-girder connected to the intermediateportions of the cross-beams of said upper supporting element, each endof each cross-beam of the upper supporting element being connected toone of the posts, a stationary die member secured to the girder of thelower supporting element, a movable die member above the fixed diemember, and means on the box girder for supporting and moving themovable die member relative to the fixed die member.

3. A bending press having four spaced apart posts built up of structuralshapes, a lower supporting element of substantially H shape built up ofstructural shapes, formed of two cross-beams and a girder connected tothe intermediate portions of the cross-beams, each end of each crossbeambeing connected to one of the posts, an upper supporting element ofsubstantially H shape built up of structural shapes, formed of twocross-beams and a box-girder connected to the intermediate portions ofthe cross-beams of said upper supporting elements, each end of eachcross-beam of the upper supporting element being connected to one of theposts, a stationary die member secured to the girder of the lowersupporting element, a movable die member above the fixed die member, ahydraulic cylinder connected to the bottom of the box girder, a pistonin said cylinder connected to the movable die member, a pull backcylinder above the hydraulic cylinder within the box girder, a pull backpiston within the pull back cylinder extending upwardly within the boxgirder, a cross head on the outer end of the pull back piston within thegirder, and pull back rods connected to the cross head and the movabledie member.

l. A bending press having four spaced apart posts built up of structuralshapes, a lower supporting element of substantially l-l shape built upof structural shapes, formed of two cross-beams and a girder connectedto the intermediate portions of the cross-beams, each end of eachcrossbeam being connected to one of the posts, an upper supportingelement of substantially H shape built up of structural shapes, formedof two cross-beams and a box-girder connected to the intermediateportions of the cross-beams of.

said upper supporting elements, each end of each cross-beam of the uppersupporting element being connected to one of the posts, a stationary diemember secured to the girder of the lower supporting element, a movabledie member above the fixed die member, a plurality of hydrauliccylinders connected to the bottom of the box girder, a piston in each ofsaid cylinders connected to the movable die member, a pull back cylinderabove each of the hydraulic cylinders within the box girder, a pull backpiston within each of the pull back cylinders extending upwardly withinthe box girder, a cross head on the outer end of each pull back pistonwithin the girder, and pull back rods connected to each of the crossheads and the movable die member.

5. In a press, a stationary die, a movable die, a piston and cylinderfor operating the movable die, a pull back piston and cylinder forretracting the die, a fluid pressure supply for continuously supplyingfluid, fluid connections between said supply and the two cylinders,valve means in said fluid connections for connecting either cylinderwith the fluid pressure supply and exhaust the fluid from the othercylinder, a release valve in said fluid connections arranged to by-passthe fluid around the cylinders when opened, and means associated withthe movable die arranged to open the release valve When the die hasmoved apredetermined distance in either direction, to stop the movementof the die, regardless of the pressure in either cylinder, Withoutshifting the first valve means and without stopping the flow from thefluid pressure supply.

JOHN R. BRADLEY. LINDSAY R. CHRISTIE.

